


Dancing in September

by 626ashleystarling



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: American Sign Language, Bisexual Sting Eucliffe, Collage, Deaf Character, Deaf Rogue Cheney, Dyslexic Sting Eucliffe, Fluff, Learning Disabilities, M/M, Misunderstandings, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Speech Disorders, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28918395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/626ashleystarling/pseuds/626ashleystarling
Summary: "Okay...", he gestured ahead, adding more awkward to what he already felt. He gave Rogue the bisexual finger guns and instantly wanted to nuke himself."I'm sorry...""For what?"Rogue asked innocently.'"I am making this really..."Casually forgets the word again."Um... weird I think...""What? You're not weird"Rogue assured him."I think you're fun."
Relationships: Rogue Cheney/Sting Eucliffe, Yukino Aguria & Sting Eucliffe
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	Dancing in September

**Author's Note:**

> For blackbloodrose20 on Tumblr in honor of the Fairy Tail Valentine Gift Exchange. Enjoy.

The library was Sting's least favorite place. He doesn't have many good memories there.

Still, he promised Yukino that he would wait for her before they headed back to their apartment, so it was his obligation to stand against the table, scrolling through Instagram, waiting as she searched for this _one_ book for chemistry.

In her defense, the place was huge. There was two stories of just shelves for books, and every one of those shelves were full. There were about fifty shelves per floor and the stretched on for what seemed like miles. Just looking at all the books made Sting fell dizzy.

After what felt like two hours (but really only ten minutes) Sting was finally ready to leave, so he got up and walked to the closest row, attempting to look for the science section. He glared at the first section header with hatred, wishing the words wouldn't swim across the wood of the shelf. 

"E...s...o...m...n...i...s...c...?" _That's not a word idiot._

Frustrated, Sting folded his arms and rubbed his forehead. "Forget it I'll-"

A hand waved in his face, startling him a bit before he looked to see who it was. "Oh, hi there."

Okay he was cute. His long black hair was tied into a ponytail, and his dark eyes studied Sting curiously. He was in a grey hoodie and black basketball shorts, and they were so big it made him look pale and thin. 

"You're in my engineering class", Sting realized.

He nodded and held a piece of paper under Sting's nose. That's when Sting remembered that the boy was deaf.

"I sorry- I'm sorry I can- can't- read that", Sting stuttered. Why was his brain like this. "I'm dyslectic."

The boy frowned, then started writing again. Sting waited with his hands in his pockets. 

He showed Sting the notepad again. There was a picture of (what Sting assumed to be) binoculars and a question mark.

"What am I looking for?", Sting asked. The boy nodded. "My friend. She's supposed to be getting a...book."

The man wrinkled his nose.

"Um...damn I forgot...", Sting said slowly. Maybe he could find it on his own, he didn't want to stress this man anymore. "Don't worry about-"

The man stuck a finger in his face, and began scribbling again. He turned the pad around and pointed to a drawing of a circle with wiggly lines and dark spaces.

"No, not Social Studies, or Social History."

He pointed to another drawing, this time it was a ruler (Sting guessed) and a board with numbers scrawled on it. 

"Not Math, although she-she...uh did a subject with- with math..."

It seemed he finally understood, as the boy grabbed his wrist and took him to a line of shelves on the second floor and gestured to the last several shelves. Then he pulled his notepad out and drew a glass beaker on it.

"Science. She needed a Chemistry book. Thanks." Sting smiled at him. He smiled back, nodded and turned to walk away. "Wait!" He grabbed his wrist. 

The boy looked back at him. 

Sting acted faster that his brain worked. Crap. "I...wanted to know your name, is all."

The boy pursed his lips, then pulled out a sharpie marker and flipped Sting's wrist over. He jot his name down on his wrist, waved and left. Sting watched him leave, then looked back at the name. "R...o...q... what?"

"That says Rogue", A voice said behind him. He turned and flew back three feet, but it was only Yukino. "R-o-g-u-e", she continue, like she didn't send her friend into cardiac arrest.

"Rogue", Sting repeated, staring at the name.

Yukino smirked. "Did someone earn a date?"

"Date? With who?"

"Rogue."

"Rogue? Oh. I wish. But he can't speak and I can't read."

They began walking downstairs. "He's deaf? That's tough." She clapped he hands together in excitement. "You can't understand each other."

"Figured that out all on your own?"

"But maybe you can do something about that."

"If there was something I could do about my dyslexia, I would have done it in third grade after the teacher shamed me in front of the class."

"I meant- wow, that sounds awful- I meant for you to learn sign language."

Sign language? That didn't sound like a bad idea to Sting.

"Until then, you'll have to live with the writing." 

Sting stopped on the steps as Yukino walked on. "Wait, who said I'll ever see him again?"

`~`

Sting did, in fact, see him again. It was in his mechanical engineering class on Thursday, and the teacher was running on about stuff.

Sting was doing what he normally did, recording him and laying his head on the table. Writing anything he was saying felt too ridiculous and strange, especially since the man was blathering like a crying whale.

He was about to fall asleep, when something hit him smack in the forehead. He raised his head just enough to look at the pen that was rolling around on the table in front of him. He looked in front of him to see Rogue pointing at him, them pointing at the teacher. _Pay attention._

Sting shot him the first sign that he learned; his index and middle finger, coming together to meet his thumb _"no"_.

Rogue eyes widened, blinking like his brain reset, but he made a sign like he was knocking on a door. _"Yes."_

_"No."_

_"Yes."_

_"No."_

_"Yes."_

Rolling his eyes, Sting sat up and signed _"Fine..."_ Then he smirked at Rogue, who tried and failed to frown back.

__

The teacher stepped up to the podium. "Okay, class is now over. If you have any questions, come and ask now. Otherwise leave."

__

Students began to pack their textbooks and laptops away. Sting got up and bobbed down the steps to Rogue's seat.

__

"Hi", Sting said, waving. _"Just so you know, I was..."_ He didn't know the sign for paying attention. Gods he felt so stupid. "Um..."

__

_"Paying attention"_ , Rogue supplied, hovering his hands on each side of his face and making small circles with them. _"Sure..."_ He smirked.

__

Sting pursed his lips, shouldering his bag, "Hey..."

__

Tugging on his sleeve, Rogue lead him outside. _"I have a class now. You?"_

__

_"That was my last class."_ They stopped outside the door, just watching each other. Sting tried not to smile too much, because that would be weird, but the fact that Rogue's hand still hanging on his sleeve was filling him up with unexplained serotonin. _"So...I'm going home."_

__

Rogue let go of his sleeve, much to Sting's disappointment. _"Okay."_ Students weaved around them, pushing past them, but neither made an attempt to move. Rogue shuffled from foot to foot, looking at his toes. Meanwhile Sting was trying to convince himself that the roof tiles was prettier that Rogue's face.

__

(He failed.)

__

"Um...", He poked Rogue shoulder to gain his attention. When he looked up Sting signed, _"Would you like me to..." undiscernible gesture "...you to...class"_

__

Oh gosh. He's going to have to hire a sign language tutor because he was failing at this miserably. Fortunately, before he could dig a hole for himself, Rogue rested his hand over Sting's and signed, _"Okay."_

__

"Okay...", he gestured ahead, adding more awkward to what he already felt. He gave Rogue the bisexual finger guns and instantly wanted to nuke himself. _"I'm sorry..."_

__

_"For what?"_ Rogue asked innocently.

__

_'"I am making this really..."_ Casually forgets the word again. _"Um... weird I think..."_

__

_"What? You're not weird"_ Rogue assured him. _"I think you're fun."_

__

Sting felt his nose and ears turned red with embarrassment. He cleared his throat. _"Thank you."_

__

`~`

__

Sting was sure that the next time the professor skipped class he would be fired. Mr Rice left a message on the board saying how Professor Majors would be absent again and to work as partners on page 201. Yeah, like anyone's gonna do it.

__

Sting eyed white hair from the corner of his eye. He felt tempted to toss the pen at her head, but he figured he was too old for that.

__

Two of the students up and walked out of the class room. Some texted on their phones. One had headphones in her laptop, not realizing that the people behind her can easily see what she was watching. Sting wondered if anyone had the gall to ask her if she liked girls considering her video.

__

_I really don't have to stay in the class._ He thought. So he picked up his bag, got up and walked out of class. _I'll probably head to the diner off campus. I'm starving._

He walked through the hall and slid out of a slide door, then crossed the green. It was a really hot day, and Sting could feel his tee shirt sticking to his chest. Despite that, he could feel the hair sticking up from the back of his neck. He glanced around, and finally spotted him.

In his all black attire, he stuck out like a sore thumb. He found shelter under a tree, sitting on the brick stacked around it. He seemed pretty busy though, scribbling like usual. But Sting was sure he was staring at him.

__

"R- he is deaf", Sting cringed, facepalming. "Idiot."

Rogue happened to look up, see him and waved him over. Smiling widely, Sting bounced to him.

"Hiya", he stooped to his level and waved. _"What are you doing?"_ he signed.

Rogue smiled and put his book to the side. _"Just writing."_

_"Can I see that story?"_

_"Maybe."_

_"Mean."_

He laughed silently, covering his mouth and nose. Sting stared in awe, noting how cute he was. "Hey", he tugged on his hand, hoping that his face wasn't a red as it felt.

Rogue looked at him, eyebrow raised. 

"Want to grab a bite with me? There's a diner across the street." Sting felt really bad for saying that rather than signing it, but he was still learning.

For as dark as Rogue appeared to be, he smile seemed like the sun to Sting's poor little bi heart. _"Sure."_

"Great! Uh..." A sheepish look passed over the blond's face. "What was I saying?"

_"The diner?"_

"Oh right, come on."

It was a breakfast diner, which really didn't shock Rogue considering Sting's personality. The building itself was bright yellow with massive windows. The sign was shaped like a waffle with big white writing which said "Breakfast Palace". As soon as they opened to door, Rogue was hit with the smell of chicken.

 _"Chicken and w-a-l-l-f-e-s"_ , Sting signed to him, _"There's also..."_ He bit his lip. "Um..."

 _"I'll see the menu"_ , Rogue stopped him. _"Don't worry about it."_

Sting gave him another sheepish look. "Sorry..."

They sat at the nearest booth by the door, opposite each other. A waitress greeted them, placed their menus in front of them and left them alone.

 _"Your memory isn't great",_ Rogue pointed out. _"I guess that has to do with your-"_ he tapped the side of his chin, then his temple, _"head?"_

_"Yeah..."_

Rogue reached over and pat his shoulder as a source of comfort. _"You can just talk to me, okay?"_

"But you can't talk back, and I barely understand the signs..." Sting smiled awkwardly, not looking Rogue in the eye. "You shouldn't have to compromise for my inability to learn."

He felt like flicking Sting in the forehead. He didn't expect him to learn sign language. He was surprised when he did! Rogue pulled out his phone, opened it and started typing. Then, the generic Google voice said, "You don't learn sign language overnight. It's okay."

"You-", Sting chuckled. "Why do you carry the notepad if you can do that?"

More typing. "Because I'm using Google Translate, and I rarely have data. This place has free WiFi."

"So I better learn sign language faster huh?"

Rogue frowned. He was really determined. "You don't have to", Google said for him.

"What it is to be good friends with you, if I don't t-try to learn language-your language, come on brain." Sting pouted and smiled. He looked at Rogue, then looked away.

Rogue felt his face tingle. "I'm glad you want to learn sign language."

"It's no big deal. I know what it's like to..." He turned pink, realizing the can of worms he was about to open. "I-let's not unpack all that."

"You were going to say that you know what it's like to have people ignore your disabilities. I know. Once a police officer nearly took my license because I was driving deaf."

Sting nearly spat out his water. "Why? Because you need to hear the road?"

Finally someone gets it. "Exactly like the heck?"

The water Sting was trying to drink sputtered over his shirt as he was trying to hold back laughter. "I-" He choked. "I'm- _cough_ "

Rogue couldn't see his lips after that because Sting covered his mouth with a napkin in an attempt to swallow.

"Sorry.", He put the napkin down and cleared his throat. "That reminded me of once when my teacher...when my teacher...uh...when my teacher almost had me in elementary school suspended because she thought I-I was spelling "penis" not "pupil"."

"Your teacher freaked because you stated one body part over the other?" Rogue raised his eyebrows and attempted to hid the smirk on his face with his fist. 

Sting thankfully didn't seem to notice Rogue laughing at him, as he just nodded, drinking more water. "That's what my mom said. She went on for hours."

"I can imagine." Finally the waitress arrived, apologized for the wait, then took their orders. Rogue insisted on writing it down, while Sting just got the regular chicken and waffles.

She walked away, and the two sat in silence for a while. Rogue glance around at the others in the diner. There was a couple there with their daughter, who was pulling at her cowboy hat excitedly. A boy with a toolbox and a miniature robot sat in the farthest corner, away from everyone. The lady who was working the counter and the cash register was wiping down the table, and there was two kids, a boy and a girl, who were clearly supposed to be working, was instead flirting with each other. Ah professionalism.

Rogue glanced at Sting and notice he was looking at the kids too. His expression was unreadable as his eyes flicked between the boy's face and the girl's. Rogue's gaze travelled to his ear, where he notice he was wearing an earring, then at his white crop top and jeans jacket.

He found himself wondering if Sting liked guys when the food came. _"Thank you"_ , he signed to the waitress. He was about to dig in when he caught Sting looking back at him.

When Sting saw he was caught, he slowly put his head on the desk, ears pink, causing Rogue to laugh at how cute he was. He was probably saying something, but Rogue of course couldn't hear him.

Eventually, after his blushing went down, he raised his head up and began chewing on his chicken. 

After a few minutes, Rogue felt his knee being kicked by Sting, so he looked up at his...friend? Are they friends now? That sounded nice.

"Can I ask you something? About your hearing?"

Rogue nodded, poking a piece of bacon in his mouth.

"Were born d-deaf?" Sting's eyes looked everywhere but Rogue's face, which Rogue had begun to notice was a recurring thing with him.

He picked up his phone, opened it and typed. "No. When I was two I developed a high fever and lost my hearing."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Nothing to be sorry about. Things happen." Rogue strummed his fingers on his phone case before asking, "Why do you stutter like that?"

"Speech issues. I faster than my brain talk, so I mix up my sentences and stutter. Which probably makes it hard for you to understand me."

"I manage."

Sting smirked. "You manage."

Rogue prayed silently that Sting wouldn't look at him like that again; it made him feel so weird somehow. He never really thought about what his orientation was; he kind of just saw people as people. Maybe he's pan? Or maybe he just didn't care.

Either way, Sting is cute, and he can't handle that.

"Do you have a hearing aid?" Sting blurted out. The look in his eyes told Rogue that he instantly regretted it.

"I have been saving up for one", Rogue typed. "My mother was never able to afford to get me one as a child."

Before Sting could say anything, the waitress picked up their plates and gave them their bill. "I'll pay for the food." He typed into Google.

"You-", Sting started, but he went so fast Rogue couldn't pick up. The black haired boy rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet anyways.

He was about to place fifteen dollars on the table when he noticed a twenty was already there. Frowning, he pushed the twenty to Sting.

Sting pushed it back. He push it to Sting. Sting pushed it to him. This went on for about five minutes.

"Let me pay", Rogue typed into Google with his free hand.

"I invited you, I should pay."

Rogue flushed a little and lifted his fingers off the money once he realized Sting wasn't going to ease up. "Fine, but I'll pay next time."

`~`

Sting was laying in the dark at three in the morning when that statement hit him properly. 

_I'll pay next time._

Next time? Holy crap will there be a next time? He really wanted there to be a next time.

He turned over and grabbed his phone. He figure he should ask Yukino about it, not like she's asleep either.

"Hey, you up?" He voice-typed into the chat.

It took a minute, but she came online. **What's up?**

"If someone you just met two months ago tells you that on your next hang out he'll pay for the food, does that warrant butterflies in your stomach?"

**...holy cherries...**

"Don't say it-"

**Someone's in love~**

Sting sighed. "I am."

**You need to introduce us.**

**Wait you didn't deny it?**

"I am texting you at 3 in the morning, what it there to deny?"

**Wait I'll call you**

Sting waiting for all of two seconds until the phone rang.

"You should ask him out!" Yukino yelled at him.

Sting clicked his tongue. "I need to learn to communicate with him first. Google translate isn't it."

"Sign language not working?"

"Only to embarrass me."

"It can't be that bad."

"Let's bet."

"Have you tried texting him? I mean for when it gets really bad."

"Yukino, I could barely read as it is."

He heard her sigh and the squeak of the mattress spring gave Sting the impression that she rolled over. "I don't know what to tell you then. You can't get your man because he physically disabled and you're mentally disabled. That's a crisis."

"Whoa Sherlock, did you really all solve that mystery on your own?" Sting rolled his eyes while he listened to Yukino's pouting through the call. "And when since he became my man?"

"The day you left his name on your arm for seven hours just you could keep staring at it."

Sting was happy that his dyslexia caused him to catch on to that sentence late. He would have been way too flustered to get any sleep.

`~`

Rogue stared at the doctor, dumbfounded. _"Okay..."_

His mother sat on the chair next to him, rubbing his back. _Rogue, come on. We still have a chance."_

 _"Exactly"_ , Dr. White signed slowly. _"You still have a chance for your left ear-"_

_"No! Damn it!"_ Rogue signed angrily. 

The doctor quieted down.

Rogue felt his mother tap his shoulder, but he ignored her. He just wanted the world to swallow him, like the silence normally does. He just wanted to disappear, or to cry his eyes dry.

He looked back up and signed, _"I'm sorry, that was rude. What about speech therapy?"_

 _"You can still succeed with Dr. Salome help._ He held out his hand to Rogue; in it was a hearing aid. _"Want to still test it out?"_

Rogue eyed it, then his eyes travelled to his mother, who gave him a thumbs up. He nodded, then turned his good ear to Dr. White, who placed the aid into his ear. After playing with the knobs a bit, he stepped back and said, "How is that?"

Rogue felt his mouth hanging open. Dr. White's voice was deeper than he expected. Then there was a buzzing coming from the AC vent, which surprised Rogue in the fact that he thought it didn't make any noise.

 _"The AC is louder than expected..."_ he signed.

His mother was in tears of joy, wrapping her arms around her son. "I'm so happy for you baby!"

Rogue smiled and hugged her back, burying his head into the crook of her neck. Everything was so loud! The little squeak the hand sanitizer suspensor when Dr. White pumped it was super satisfying. His mother's hiccups as she cried sounded melodious to him.

Dr. White smiled and stepped closer to Rogue. "I'll continue talking and using sign simultaneously, okay?"

_"Okay."_

"Now you need to remember a few things. Don't sleep in the hearing aid, and don't wear it for long periods of time. You're auditory nerves will need time to adjust to vibrations, so don't turn the aid higher that where it is now, unless I give the okay."

_"Okay sir."_

"I'll do one more test, then you're free to go."

Rogue's mother squeezed his hand and smiled at him. He smiled back, tears forming in his eyes too.

`~`

Sting was near damn sure if he stepped into another library this week, it's on sight.

It wasn't the school library he was in this time: it was the public library nearby. Yukino really wanted this adventure series and apparently it _wasn't_ in the school library (which came as a shock to Sting. What book wasn't in that library?)

He sat at a table and placed some ear plugs in his ear. While listening to Hozier (yes Take Me to Church), he glanced up and noticed two teens laughing and making hand signs in the corner. Unconcerned, Sting glanced back down at his phone.

He was nearly sucked back into the song, when someone tapped the table. A little annoyed, he glanced up and said "I'm waiting for-oh, Rogue, hey"

The black haired boy stood in front of him, shifting from foot to foot aimlessly. _"Hi."_

Sting drew in a breath, pulling out his earplugs. "What happened. _What happened."_

Rogue looked behind him, and Sting eyes followed, to the same kids that was talking before. This time, they were looking directly at Rogue, making the most ridiculous imitation of ASL Sting has ever seen.

Then it hit Sting. They were _mocking_ Rogue. 

Oh it is most definitely on sight.

Sting got up, grabbed Rogue's arm and was ready to pull Rogue over to them and give them a piece of his mind. Rogue, however, gently rested a hand on Sting's and said _"Don't worry about it. Let's just go."_

_"No, they're *ssholes, and I wanna beat them."_

_"It's not worth it."_

Sting softened when he saw the sadness in Rogue's eyes. He turned around, told the kids _"F*ck you"_ and wrapped an arm around Rogue's shoulder. He glared at them before guiding Rogue away.

They ended up hiding in the romance section where Rogue leaned against the shelf and sighed. Sting rubbed his forehead, trying to push his pulsing vein back in. "Those jerks, why don't pick s-someone on their own side-size."

He felt Rogue's eyes follow him, and it made his face feel hot, but honestly the anger he was feeling surpassed that. "Like, how much *ss could you be to pick of someone who was business minding their own." He paced the isle, trying to calm down a bit. "But they just- gods. At least you stopped me from punching their face in. Anyways Rogue, you can't hear me so I might as well say it. No matter what, I'll always protect you." His back was to Rogue as he said this. "I won't let anyone else hurt you consequence without, okay?"

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder. _Oh please don't be Yukino. Please don't be the librarian. Please don't be anyone I know. Please-"_

__

Rogue walked into his line of view, and he felt himself sigh with relief. Good, at least he could live down this crisis.

__

He raised his hands and signed, _"You want to...protect me?"_

__

Never mind, Sting wanted to be swallowed by the earth.

__

_"Rogue you...you can hear me?"_ Sting signed.

__

The paler boy smiled somewhat sheepishly and somewhat shyly as he gestured to his left ear. _"Surprise..."_

__

Sting felt like he was going to explode. Something kill him right now because he wanted to ascend. He would die happy and without regrets if something was to _kill him right now_.

__

The universe decided that he would die by being hugged by Rogue, letting the bi panic consume him and melting into a puddle of excitement and embarrassment.

__

_"Thank you",_ he signed, resting his forehead on Sting's chest. A thousand fireworks went off in Sting's stomach and he was sure he would die in that moment.

Shakily, he rested his arms on Rogue's back, and rubbed his spine. His head rested on Rogue's, burying his face into his hair. "Your hair smells good..."

He felt Rogue laugh against his chest, right before he realized he forgot Rogue could hear now. Even more embarrassed, he pushed his head into Rogue's scalp further. "Please forget I said that..."

_"No"_

"Please? You're killing me here."

_"Ha ha."_

What definitely sent him to an early grave is Yukino stumbling upon them, smirking, waving and leaving. He will never hear the end of this.

`~`

The moment the first of December hit the town, Sting was counting down the days to his twentieth birthday.

Twenty isn't significant to a lot of people, but to Sting, birthdays were very excitable. As the extrovert he is, he was always ready to drag his friends out to party.

 _"Where are we going?_ Sting signed. Gods he wished sign language didn't require his hands so much. It was freezing right now, and he put on mittens instead of gloves, so he had to take them off to talk to Rouge. At the moment it not snowing but the town lake was frozen over. Rogue led him through the park, feet adding a little extra stomp just to hear the dead leaves crunch.

Rogue told Sting that he had a surprise for his birthday, which is why he was dragged out here in the cold.

Unlike Sting, Rogue had on and red jacket, a white beanie and red gloves. His backpack was strapped around his shoulder and his black boots were speckled with mud. Sting glance at his twitching nose as the boy sniffed a little. It reminded Sting of a rabbit.

Curious about Rogue's fascination, Sting stepped on a few leaves as well. He had to admit the crunch was satisfying, so he intentionally stepped on a few more. And some more.

Now facing a challenger, Rogue ran and jumped into a small pile of leaves. It wasn't a big jump; it was just enough to kick up a few red-brown leaves and Sting's competitiveness.

The blond cracked his knuckles, twisted his head in an over glorified fashion and began his sprint. There he had two problems; he took off too forcefully and he was going really fast.

His foot hit a puddle of ice, slid backwards and caused him to fall on his face with a grunt. "Ow..."

A pair of hands rested on his shoulders, shaking him harshly. He looked up and saw Rogue sigh with relief, before covering his mouth with his left hand.

"What?" Sting touched his nose and looked at his fingers, realizing that they were now red. "Damn..."

He allowed Rogue to push him up fully. He held his mitten to his nose as Rogue scrummaged through his bag for the first aid kit. _"Your nose doesn't seem to be broken"_ he informed Sting as he placed a towel on the bridge of Sting's nose. Then, he squeezed the nostril and gestured for Sting to hold it. _"That'll hurt for a while."_

"Would it shock you that this is not the first time this happened", Sting smiled. "I'm sorry."

_"For what,"_

_"I think I ruined this for us."_

Rogue frowned and flicked his forehead. "You did not ruin this."

Sting pouted and rubbed where Rogue hit him. "Ow..."

The dark haired boy found it hard to stay made at Sting when he was pouting so cutely and his voice sounded like Elmo. "You deserved it. It annoy me some-time when you say how you ruin thing be-cause it not true."

Sting hung his mouth open, dumbfounded. "You- _you can talk?"_

_"Speech therapy. One of the first phrases I learned, so that I could surprise you and tell you off."_

Rogue looked really proud of himself for getting that sentence across, but before he could internally celebrate, Sting grabbed his waist and pulled him in for a hug.

"You're amazing", he whispered into Rogue's good ear.

Stunned, Rogue froze in place. "I..."

"You speak well too." Sting pulled back and looked Rogue in the eyes. "So what was we supposed to do today?"

 _"Ice skating, but I figured something might come up"_ Why is Sting so goddamn pretty? _"...so...um..."_

"What, are you distracted-ooom!"

The deaf boy figured he may regret it, but that was a risk he was willing to take. He put his hands in Sting's hair, taking in the smell of peppermint. The word around him seemed to grow warmer as Sting pulled him closer. He felt Sting's hands rest on his hips, then travel upwards to the small of his back. He combed his hands through Stings hair and felt the latter boy smile at that.

Finally, Sting pulled away, red as a fire hydrant. "Wow."

Rogue blushed and looked down. _"That was another surprise I had planned."_

"Oh really", Sting smiled. "Then I like you too."

Rogue looked up so fast Sting got whiplash. _"Really?"_

"Yes", Sting laughed. _"I like you."_

Rogue smiled. "I like you too. _Now how about a dance?"_

Sting took Rogue's hand and allowed him to help him up. _"That sounds wonderful"_ , he signed, putting his towel in his back pocket.


End file.
